Netiquette and Cyberbullying

Netiquette and Cyberbullying go hand in hand.

Netiquette, a portmanteau of "network etiquette", is a set of social conventions that facilitate interaction over networks, ranging from Usenet and mailing lists to blogs and forums. These rules were described in IETF RFC 1855.[1] However, like many Internet phenomena, the concept and its application remain in a state of flux, and vary from community to community. The points most strongly emphasized about USENET netiquette often include using simple electronic signatures, and avoiding multiposting, cross-posting, thread hijacking, and other techniques used to minimize the effort required to read a post or a thread. Netiquette guidelines posted by IBM for employees utilizing Second Life in an official capacity, however, focus on basic professionalism, maintaining a tenable work environment, and protecting IBM's intellectual property.[2] Similarly, some Usenet guidelines call for use of unabbreviated English[3][4] while users of online chat protocols like IRC and instant messaging protocols like SMS often encourage trends in the opposite direction.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Netiquette

Netiquette is a brand new "life skill" for the online generation of students who are currently using the internet. Cnn.com has a list of example "signatures" someone would use for example :) a smile to show you are happy or LOL for laughing out loud. There are also inappropriate signatures students use and it seems they are surprised if a teacher or parent actually knows what it means. Netiquette is important for teachers and parents to be aware of to discuss some of the appropriate and inappropriate uses, so the technology gap between generations doesn't increase at and get out of hand. Netiquette is a new term since people are communicating more with each other online during their personal time than perhaps even spending face to face time together. Writing a class blog would be a great way to demonstrate to students the use of netiquette. Parents could even take an opportunity through a classroom blog to use netiquette for reinforcement.
http://edition.cnn.com/2000/TECH/computing/07/21/netiquette.tools/



Cyber-bullying involves the use of information and communication technologies to support deliberate, repeated, and hostile behaviour by an individual or group, that is intended to harm others.[1]
Cyberbullying is a very real issue/problem in our society. It is never to soon to start discussing with students the importance of treating others with respect and preventing cyberbullying. It can be difficult for a school district to get involved with a case where students are cyberbullying each other, especially when it is done off of school property, however, more needs to be done for administrators and authorities to prevent and put an end to cyberbullying when it occurs! This is such a new form of harassment for officials to figure out how to handle legally that it seems more and more kids are getting away with cyberbullying and are even posting it on YouTube. The link below is an example of cyberbullying from YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gE5yINOn4N4


The link below will bring you to examples of how community leaders are attempting to prevent cyberbullying. It is crucial that we as educators teach our kids that bullying someone is never okay and that they won't get away with it! If a fight were to break out on school campus those students would face consequences, so why are kids getting away with fighting on the internet and posting the evidence?
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=teaching+about+cyberbullying&search_type=&aq=f


On the wikipedia website the below statistics were listed for cyberbullying. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyberbullying
Surveys and statistics
The National Crime Prevention Council reports cyber-bullying is a problem that affects almost half of all American teens.[9]
In 2007, Debbie Heimowitz a Stanford University Master's student created Adina's Deck, a film based on Stanford accredited research. She worked in focus groups for ten weeks in three different schools to learn about the problem of cyber-bullying in Northern CA. The findings determined that over 60% of students had been cyber-bullied and were victims of cyber-bullying. The film is now being used in classrooms nationwide as it was designed around learning goals pertaining to problems students had understanding the topic. The middle school of Megan Meier is reportedly using the film as a solution to the crisis in their town.
In September 2006, ABC News reported on a survey prepared by I-Safe.Org. This 2004 survey of 1,500 students between grades 4-8 reported:
42% of kids have been bullied while online. One in four have had it happen more than once.
35% of kids have been threatened online. Nearly one in five had had it happen more than once.
21% of kids have received mean or threatening e-mails or other messages.
58% of kids admit someone has said mean or hurtful things to them online. More than four out of ten say it has happened more than once.
58% have not told their parents or an adult about something mean or hurtful that happened to them online.
A 2006 survey by Harris Interactive[10] reported:
43% of U.S. teens having experienced some form of cyberbullying in the past year.
Similarly, a Canadian study found:
23% of middle-schoolers surveyed had been bullied by e-mail
35% in chat rooms
41% by text messages on their cell phones
Fully 41% did not know the identity of the perpetrators.
http://news.cnet.com/A-new-sort-of-online-protocol/2100-1023_3-261391.html


Teacher, Parents, and authorities need to work together to change laws and enforce consequences for cyberbullying. It is important we learn about Netiquette to teach our students from day one what is expected fact to face with someone and what is expected online of them. There should be a zero tolerance and although the legal system is attempting to put a stop to cyberbullying it is our job as role models and leaders in the community to prevent it from happening in the first place.

Jen Maxfield